Latest news with #Contractor
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Abu Dhabi property owner ordered to pay over Dh332,990 to contractor after dispute
The Court of Cassation in Abu Dhabi has ordered a property owner to pay over Dh332,990 to a contractor after a dispute emerged between the two parties, court documents revealed. The court issued its final ruling in the case on Thursday, August 7, rejecting an appeal filed by the property owner against a previous judgment that ordered him to pay this amount of money to the contractor. The appeal was dismissed on procedural grounds related to the legal threshold required for appeals before the Court of Cassation, which is no less than Dh500,000, making the payment enforceable by final judgment. Case background After a disagreement between the property owner and the contractor concerning construction work at the property, the former filed a civil commercial lawsuit, which ended with ordering the contractor to pay him Dh250,000. The court said then that the ruling was based on the contractor's failure to implement the agreed-upon contracting work. The contractor later filed a separate lawsuit against the property owner, requesting that the latter be ordered to pay Dh332,990 as reimbursement for some construction work that had already been completed. The contractor also sought payment of a delay interest at an annual rate of 12% from the date the case was filed until full payment is made. The court ruled in favour of the contractor, but the owner appealed. Final ruling The Court of Cassation rejected the owner's appeal, though, on the ground that the claim amount (Dh332,990) falls below the minimum threshold of Dh500,000 required for cassation appeals, as stated in Article 175(1) of Federal Law No. 42 of 2022 on Civil Procedure. A technical expert report also confirmed that a significant portion of the contracted work—estimated at 89% completion—had already been carried out. As a result, the court ruled that the appellant (the property owner) is obliged to pay the contractor: Dh332,990 – the principal amount awarded for completed contracting works. 5% annual interest – from the date of the lawsuit until full payment. Dh1,000 – for the contractor's legal (attorney's) fees due to the cassation appeal being dismissed. Court fees and expenses – though not quantified in the judgment, they are also the responsibility of the losing party (the property owner).
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
World-class sports hub planned beneath Mahalaxmi racecourse
MUMBAI: More than 140 years after it first opened, Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Racecourse will concede ground to the modern age. Beneath its legendary green, an underground, world-class sports complex will take shape, featuring a 400-metre running track, an Olympic-size swimming pool and facilities for 'every Olympic sport you can think of'. One level further down, a parking facility with space for 5,000 cars is also planned. World-class sports hub planned beneath Mahalaxmi racecourse The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which owns the 211-acre racecourse land situated in one of Mumbai's most expensive addresses, has drawn up this ambitious plan along with noted architect Hafeez Contractor. The BMC is currently studying its feasibility and impact. While the Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC) will continue to run the racecourse on 91 acres leased from the BMC, the new lease terms, signed in January 2024, will allow the civic body to develop the remaining 120 acres. Municipal commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, told HT, 'The racecourse will not be disturbed but significant area development is planned around it. We are exploring the possibility of utilising the basement space for sports, entertainment and parking facilities below the racecourse. Although our storm water and sewage lines currently run beneath the area, we are actively examining feasible options.' Roughly half the 120 acres above-ground will be occupied by a topiary garden. The rest will host an urban forest, a concert ground, and an auditorium/arena for year-round events. The latter is still under consideration. The equestrian track will remain untouched. 'We proposed to the BMC that this large open space (topiary garden) should remain undisturbed above-ground, with the garden developed in harmony with the racecourse,' said Contractor. 'Beneath it, however, lies the opportunity to build a world-class underground sports complex to train young athletes from Mumbai and across India.' Plans for the underground space include developing two levels. The first basement level, spread across 20 acres, will host a state-of-the-art sports complex at par with Olympic standards. The facility will include a 400-metre running track, an Olympic-size swimming pool and a convention centre for events and training sessions. It will also include space for an array of sports disciplines: six tennis courts, six squash courts, space for table tennis, a skating rink, a shooting range, courts for handball, volleyball, basketball and badminton, a gymnastics arena, kho-kho, cricket nets and martial arts. Calling the facility a game-changer for Mumbai, Contractor said, 'Every Olympic sport you can think of will be represented here. When I was growing up in Mumbai, we had very few sporting facilities. This complex will change all that.' Despite being underground, the design includes ample natural ventilation and light. 'We've created a large, central skylight and a moat around the facility. Although underground, it will be open on both sides, ensuring it feels airy and spacious,' he said. One of the challenges of building underground is the dense network of utilities beneath the racecourse. Contractor said this has been meticulously planned. 'The entire area has been mapped, including water supply lines, drainage systems and gas pipelines. The design has been modified to avoid interference with these utilities.' The second basement level will be dedicated to parking, capable of accommodating over 5,000 cars. This is especially crucial during large-scale events that can be held above-ground. 'To manage the inflow of vehicles during music shows or public events, a direct connection is being planned from the Western Freeway to the underground parking facility,' Contractor said. The 120-acre land above the basement has been divided into three distinct zones: 63.9 acres for a themed topiary garden and educational green herb zone; 13.6 acres for an open concert ground; 11.6 acres will be preserved as an urban forest, retaining already existing mature trees. Under consideration is 31.36 acres earmarked for an arena/ auditorium for year-round events, especially during the monsoon. Reflecting on his personal connection with the city, Contractor remarked, 'I was born and raised in Mumbai. I know the lack of sports infrastructure we faced growing up. When I turned 18, it was hard to find even a swimming pool. To now contribute to a space that gives future generations access to world-class training is truly a dream come true for a city like Mumbai.' The Mahalaxmi Racecourse's redevelopment has seen several proposals over the years. In 2004–05, RWITC had tried to partner with Pegasus Infrastructure for a commercial project, which was scrapped after a public backlash and political pressure. In 2007, a plan to turn the area into a flood-relief parking lot was dropped. By 2009, various ideas from an aquarium to a flyover remained unexecuted. In 2013, with the lease expiring, BMC pushed for a full conversion into a public park. Despite a decade of discussions and no consensus, it wasn't until 2024 that the present plan emerged.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
City hosts film screening and exhibition to honour late Navroze Contractor
Navroze Contractor 's contribution to Indian cinema , photography , and documentary filmmaking has been both profound and impactful. To honour his legacy, a three-day film event, titled Through the Eyes of Navroze, will be held at the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), Law College Road, while an exhibition of photos taken by him will be on at the Raja Ravi Varma art gallery on Ghole Road. An exhibition of curated photos A exhibition of photos taken by Contractor over a span of 60 years is on till Sunday. Curated by Sanjiv Shah , Anuj Ambalal and Himanshu Panchal from over 20,000 photos, the exhibition explores Contractor's deep love for people, music, and travel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Warren Buffett Says These 5 Books Are a Must-Read for 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Where: Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery, Ghole Road; Timings: 11 am-7 pm (On till Sunday) Also read: Next up, AI as your friend, philosopher and emotional guide Through the Eyes of Navroze Watch films on which Contractor worked as a cinematographer. You can also witness a panel discussion with Deepa Dhanraj, Nachiket Patwardhan, Vaibhav Abnave and Sanjiv Shah at 5 pm on Sunday. Screenings Today: Kya Hua Iss Sheher Ko (1986, dir. Deepa Dhanraj)- 6.30 pm Saturday: Hun Hunshi Hunshilal (1992, dir. Sanjiv Shah)- 6.30 pm Sunday: Limited Manuski (1995, dir. Jayoo and Nachiket Patwardhan)- 11 am; Percy (1989, dir. Pervez Merwanji)- 2 pm; Duvidha (1973, dir. Mani Kaul)- 6.30 pm Where: NFDC-NFAI, Law College Road (Entry free on a first-come, first-served basis)
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exhibition of Navroze Contractor's photographs reveals life spent capturing spontaneity, emotion, and humanity
1 2 Pune: Navroze Contractor, the late photographer and cinematographer known for his work in Indian parallel cinema, is being remembered through a dual tribute — an exhibition and a retrospective film series — reflecting his distinct perspective on life, people, and the world at large. The photography exhibition, titled "Photography Strictly Prohibited", is on display at Raja Ravi Varma Gallery on Ghole Road. It will continue till July 13. Curated by his close friends and fellow filmmakers Anuj Ambalal, Himanshu Panchal, and Sanjiv Shah, it distills over 20,000 photographs, taken over six decades starting from 1960s, into a curated selection that reveals a life spent capturing spontaneity, emotion, and humanity. "Most of Navroze's work has never been seen. We sorted through thousands of images, from family photos to bikes and other commissioned work that has already been seen. This exhibition is more about who he was and how he saw the world. His perspective comes through clearly through these photographs," said Shah. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Contractor's portraits are striking in their immediacy. Be it sculptor Nagji Patel in mid-sentence, sunlight catching smoke from a cigarette in his hand, or photographer Bhupendra Karla in New York, animatedly gesturing. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 짙어지는 기미, 이렇게 집에서 하니 해결되더라구요 에스테틱최원장 Undo These are images of people in motion, caught in conversation, their expressions unposed and real, like moments during these interactions frozen in time. All the photographs on display were shot on film, not digital photography, a testament to Contractor's analog roots and commitment to his craft. "In the 38 years that I knew him, I rarely remember him stepping out without a camera, unless, of course, he was on a motorcycle," said Shah. The exhibition also reveals Contractor's deep affection for children, shown in joyful frames. Kids playing in Mongolia, a little girl in a puffy jacket at a Beijing roadside store and beaming children in Rajasthan. Another section captures scenes from his 1985 visit to China, with glimpses of poverty and manual labour rendered with unflinching compassion. Also on display are images of undocumented refugees in Amsterdam, which is part of a 2014 collaboration with Dutch journalist Jonneke van Wierst. The series documents the "We Are Here" movement, a group of rejected asylum seekers who squatted in abandoned office buildings in Amsterdam to demand visibility and rights. "Many of these pictures were taken before we met in the 1980s, and they still reveal so much about who he was. Through these photographs, you can tell he was someone who loved people, who was always fully present in the moment," said his wife, filmmaker Deepa Dhanraj. A film series titled "Through the Eyes of Navroze", will be screened at National Film Archive of India on Law College Road. It starts with Kya Hua Is Sheher Ko, to be screened on July 11, followed by Hun Hunshi Hunshilal on July 12. On July 13, the closing day features Limited Manuski at 11 am, Percy at 2 pm, a panel discussion, and Duvidha. The exhibition and screenings present a portrait of a man who looked at the world with empathy and curiosity, whose lens honoured imperfection, intimacy, and dignity of everyday life.
Hindustan Times
16-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Hafeez Contractor to design new Bombay high court complex in Bandra
Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has appointed renowned architect Hafeez Contractor to design the new Bombay high court complex at Bandra East, after the previous model designed by the state public works department (PWD) was disapproved by both the judiciary and the state bureaucracy. The state government then held a competition to pick architects for the project, after which Contractor was selected. Confirming this, PWD's chief architect Chetan Akre said, 'We have selected Hafeez contractor to design the high court.' Contractor, 74, is an award-winning architect behind several skyscrapers in India, including The Imperial twin towers in Mumbai. 'The final design [of the high court complex] is being finalised,' he told HT. The new complex will come up over nearly 30 acres in the government colony in Kherwadi, Bandra East. Former chief justice of India, DY Chandrachud, had laid the foundation stone of the new complex in September last year. Back then, PWD officials had said they were planning to build 75 courtrooms in the new complex, in addition to residences for judges, staff quarters, an arbitration and mediation centre, an auditorium, a library, and amenities for staff, lawyers and litigants. A new complex for the Bombay high court was necessitated due to a severe space crunch at the existing premises at Fort. While the iconic three-storey Gothic building, constructed in 1878, was meant to house 15 judges and six to seven courts, it currently houses 29 courts manned by 35 judges. The overall sanctioned strength of judges, meanwhile, has climbed to 94 and many courts are housed in rooms that were earlier used as offices. After considering land at the Mumbai Port Authority, Goregaon and Wadala, the high court zeroed in on the government colony in Bandra, which is spread across 90 acres and located close to the Bandra Kurla Complex and the Western Express Highway. Many of the judges who reside at Malabar Hill will be able to reach the new complex via the new Mumbai Coastal Road and Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The government colony originally had 370 buildings with over 4,700 flats, constructed between 1958 and 1973. Since many buildings were located near a creek, they became corroded and cracks appeared over time. The state government has already demolished 68 of these buildings. There are now 302 buildings with 4,244 flats, of which 2,623 are in use. The state government is handing over the 30 acres of land for the new complex in a phased manner. On the remaining 60 acres of the government colony, it plans to build 12 highrises of 16 storeys each. Two buildings are ready and have part occupation certificates, while the rest are being constructed. 'Due to certain norms, we will be able to construct only 10 highrises instead of 12 in this phase,' said PWD officials. Next on the anvil is constructing 46 flats for Class 1 government officers and 72 for Class 2 officers. Three news buildings, intended for Class 3 and Class 4 staff, have got part occupation certificates.
